BROWN EYES
by MaverickRyder
Summary: A romance fic between Draco and Hermione. They finally fall in love, but when Lucius finds out, he'll do whatever necessary to keep them apart...even if it means sending Draco away. Can a love survive TEN years? R/R and find out!


A/N: I OWN NOTHING! ('cept the plot, o'course)  
  
PLEASE READ AND REVIEW THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU  
  
Hermione sat staring outside the window. The rain pattered relentlessly against the windowpane, drumming out a sad rhythm. It had been a day exactly like this that her life had turned upside-down. 'Exactly like this.'  
  
~*~  
  
10 years ago.  
  
~*~  
  
Draco laughed and threw a clump of fallen leaves at Hermione, who batted at them in the air with her arms. Both fell into helpless fits of laughter as they bombarded each other with the brilliantly colored leaves. Soon they were panting, lying on the ground, staring up at the clear blue sky.  
  
"What a beautiful sky," commented Hermione, slightly out of breath.  
  
Draco was silent for a moment, then said, "I wish we could stay like this forever."  
  
"Why not?" Hermione laughed.  
  
"Do you want the short list or the long list?"  
  
Hermione frowned. "Neither."  
  
"Suits me fine," replied Draco. He turned his head sideways and saw Hermione laying with a content expression on her face, just gazing at the sky. He propped himself up on an elbow to get a better view.  
  
"What?" asked Hermione, suddenly self-conscious.  
  
Draco smiled. Not a smirk, or a sneer, but a genuine smile that expressed his happiness. "You're beautiful, you know that?"  
  
Hermione's eyes cast downward and she felt herself blush. She propped herself up as well and looked straight into his eyes. "You are too. Absolutely gorgeous."  
  
Their faces were mere inches apart and Hermione giggled softly before he pressed his cool lips on her soft ones. The sweet declaration of love that made life worth living for the two of them wasn't an explosive kiss, it was merely the type of kiss that you share when you simply want to be close to the other one.  
  
Hermione pulled away reluctantly. "Let's go back inside, it's getting chilly."  
  
Draco put his cloak over her shoulders. "Here, you look like you're freezing."  
  
"I'm not freezing, just a little cold. Don't exaggerate," she teased.  
  
"Your hands are ice cold, don't underexaggerate." He thought for a moment. "Is that even a word?"  
  
Hermione laughed. "No!"  
  
"Oh well, it is now."  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Breakfast the next day was cheery. Everyone was chattering happily, and the commotion was almost deafening. It was the good kind of commotion, however, the type of noise that let you know that you were surrounded by life. The owls rushed in and began dropping parcels. Hermione, as usual, didn't get anything, but Harry got at least twenty sweet-smelling letters from admirers.  
  
Hermione played around with her porridge, not feeling particularly hungry. Her eyes slid over to Draco, who was reading a letter with a serious expression on his face. After he had read it, he folded it up and put it in his robe pocket. He met her gaze and their eyes locked for a moment. But he broke away after a moment and his expression was stunned as he left the breakfast table.  
  
Hermione hurried after him and followed him into the hallway.  
  
"Draco! What's the matter?"  
  
He stopped in his tracks when he heard Hermione. He put on a false smile. "Nothing's the matter, why do you ask?"  
  
"Don't play me for a fool. What was in the letter?" She indicated the letter concealed in his robes.  
  
"I, well, I just let my father know about.us.a few days ago and he replied back, that's all."  
  
Hermione bit her lip and nodded. "What did he say?"  
  
"That.he thinks I should.concentrate on my studies and not girls."  
  
"Is that all?" She sounded relieved.  
  
"That's all."  
  
"Well then, it's not a big deal after all. You had me all worried there."  
  
Draco grinned nervously.  
  
~*~  
  
In Care of Magical Creatures, Draco was not himself at all. His mind seemed to be elsewhere and it killed Hermione to be ignored by him. After Hagrid had handed out the Wollyspunks, and paired them up (Hermione had hinted to Hagrid that she'd like to be with Draco), Hermione finally had a chance to talk to him.  
  
"Talk to me," she said.  
  
"About what?" His voice sounded exhausted and melancholy. He cracked a wry smile.  
  
The corners of Hermione's mouth curved upward involuntarily. "You're not yourself, lately. You've changed since...that letter."  
  
"You're imagining things."  
  
"Am I imagining the lack of emotion you're showing? Or that depressed expression you've taken to wearing?" she hissed as she pulled the Wollyspunk out and began to feed it with a bottle.  
  
Draco sat down on a crate opposite her. "What is it that bothers you so much?"  
  
"I'm just.I only."  
  
"You're afraid of my father's opinion."  
  
Hermione shifted her gaze to the Wollyspunk. "Well if you must know, yes. I am afraid of his opinion."  
  
Draco looked deep into her eyes. "I wouldn't get so worked up if I were you."  
  
"But I-" Hermione began.  
  
He cut her off and said, "Here, let me burp that thing."  
  
~*~  
  
In Potions that day, Hermione couldn't concentrate again. Draco didn't seem to be alright, as she noticed when she glanced every so often in his direction. His smirk was gone, his expression blank. When the class was divided into pairs to work on a specific potion, Draco casually walked by Hermione's desk and dropped a note on it.  
  
Slowly, Hermione slid her had over it and pulled it onto her lap, trying not to arouse suspicion. She hastily hid her hands behind the cauldron and unfolded it.  
  
Meet me outside after classes end.  
  
Crumpling the note and stuffing it into her pocket, Hermione looked at Draco. 'Why?' her expression seemed to say. Draco only looked at her and then resumed to work on his potion.  
  
~*~  
  
A school day never lasted so long for Hermione. After classes, she rushed outside. The air was chilly and she wasn't wearing a coat, but she searched determinedly for Draco. Suddenly a voice came from behind her.  
  
"You came," Draco said evenly.  
  
"What are you talking about? Of course I came." Hermione searched Draco's eyes but they were devoid of emotion.  
  
He noticed her shivering and took off his coat and put it around her shoulders. "Here. You look cold."  
  
"Thanks," replied Hermione gratefully. "Why did you need to see me?" she asked carefully.  
  
Draco blinked and his featured softened. He placed a hand on Hermione's cheek and caressed her smooth skin. "I just . wanted to see you, that's all," he whispered.  
  
Hermione's brow furrowed. "Something's wrong, Draco."  
  
He took away his hand and nodded slowly. "You're right. Something is wrong." He looked away for a moment and the silence hung in the air like a thick fog. Finally, he said, "I'm leaving tomorrow. My father decided that I would finish my schooling at Durmstrang."  
  
Draco looked up at her, awaiting the reaction that would not be pleasant, but Hermione laughed. "I thought you just said the funniest thing, that you were finishing your school years at Durmstrang. How silly is that?" When Draco did not reply, her smile faded. "Isn't that silly, Draco?"  
  
"Yes. Very silly," Draco said softly.  
  
Hermione couldn't feel anything. The air was no longer cold, the backpack she was carrying felt like nothing, her stomach had nothing in it. "It's because of me, isn't it?" asked Hermione slowly.  
  
Draco was silent.  
  
"I'm sorry," she whispered. Hermione looked down at the grass that was withering away pathetically. Her eyes shifted over to her shoes, well-worn and scuffed with memories. Her gaze then fell on a pair of shiny black loafers in front of her own shoes. The two pairs of shoes seemed to signify something that would no longer be there in twenty-four hours' time. There would only be one pair of shoes. She looked back up at Draco. He looked miserable. Hermione couldn't stand it any longer, she couldn't see Draco so unhappy. She carefully took off his cloak and put it back on his shoulders. Then she walked silently back to her dormitory.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Hermione sat silently on her bed in the deserted girls' dormitory.  
  
What will life be like without him? Is it going to be the same? Will it ever be the same? How do I go on living with a hole like that in my heart? What will I look forward to-  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by the creaking of the opening door. It was Lavender.  
  
"Hermione? Why weren't you at dinner?" she asked cautiously.  
  
Hermione checked her eyes for any tears and then turned to Lavender and replied, "I must have forgotten. I was, er, studying. Big test, huge test, tomorrow and." She realized how weary her voice sounded.  
  
Lavender looked at her for a moment. "You weren't studying," she said finally.  
  
"What?" Hermione's head snapped up.  
  
"You weren't studying. You were thinking about.him, weren't you?"  
  
She looked away. "He's going away. To Durmstrang. And.it's all because of me." Her voice suddenly choked up.  
  
Lavender looked sympathetically at Hermione and sat down beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Hermione, I-"  
  
"Please, Lavender, I really don't need any sympathy right now."  
  
Lavender was quiet for a moment and then resumed quietly, "I just wanted to let you know that it's going to be alright. Everything will turn out fine, you'll see." She rose and left the room silently.  
  
Hermione stared at the floor. What would she know?  
  
~*~  
  
The train station at Hogsmeade was cold that day. Rain drizzled down upon the people waiting outside, and the weather was dreary. Hermione tightly wrapped her cloak around her as she stood before Draco.  
  
"So.I guess this is the big good-bye," said Hermione a little awkwardly.  
  
Draco nodded slowly. "Yeah."  
  
"Where are you headed off to? Like, where is Durmstrang?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
There was a silence. Neither one could hear the commotion of the passengers or the train getting ready to leave. Both had blocked out all other emotions.  
  
Hermione looked up into his eyes. "You can't ever forget me, alright?"  
  
Draco paused. "I won't." His expression softened. "I'll always love you, no matter what happens," he whispered.  
  
"Oh, Draco." Hermione could feel a tear running down her cheek.  
  
He gently brushed it away with his thumb. "Shh, don't cry. You're only making things worse." His voice sounded pained.  
  
"Things can't get worse!" Hermione protested. "How am I supposed to live without you?"  
  
Draco couldn't answer, he was wondering the same thing. "We'll meet again," he finally said softly.  
  
"Promise me," she whispered.  
  
He held her face in his hands. "I promise."  
  
The train whistle blew and Draco jumped aboard without looking back. Hermione watched the train pull out of the station and chug it's way into the horizon. Almost as if he were riding into the sunset. Almost.  
  
~*~  
  
Draco stared outside the window, feeling as though a vital organ was missing. The rain was still pattering against the train window.  
  
"Snacks?" offered a little old lady.  
  
Draco shook his head. He reached into his wallet and pulled out a small picture of Hermione, who was waving enthusiastically at him. He smiled. She was so full of life, full of energy, full of love.she deserved someone better than him. She deserved someone who would treat her right. Maybe this was the right thing to do, after all.  
  
Who was he kidding? He knew there was only one person he could ever love, and he had left that one person standing in the rain on a train station platform. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, feeling the sting of tears as they came unwillingly to his eyes.  
  
~*~  
  
Hermione had stood in the rain and watched until the train was out of sight. When the last cloud of smoke was no longer visible, she backed up until she felt the bench behind her. She plopped down and stared into the distance. Now what? her mind seemed to ask.  
  
As hard as she tried not to think of all the wonderful memories they had, they came unbidden. Flashes of a laughing Draco ran through her mind. Her world seemed empty. She did the only thing she could do. Cry. She had held it in so well, and she had almost betrayed herself when he was leaving, but now it was safe. It was safe to let all her emotions out and sob. Her salty tears mixed with the rain.  
  
All of a sudden, rain wasn't pouring on her and she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She spun around to see who it was. It was Harry, holding a large umbrella big enough to fit the both of them.  
  
"Come on, let's go home."  
  
~*~  
  
Harry had brought the car to Hogsmeade, simply because it was raining and nobody liked to walk in the rain. Once they were both safely inside, Harry turned up the heat and began to drive back.  
  
The trip was silent for a while.  
  
"Thanks, Harry." Hermione was staring at her shoes with a glazed expression.  
  
Harry was slightly startled by the sound of her voice. "Least I could do," he replied lightly.  
  
"Really, thank you," she insisted.  
  
"Look, don't mention it-"  
  
Hermione broke down and began sobbing again. "Thank you, Harry, thank you."  
  
Harry couldn't stand to see Hermione so upset. He stared achingly at the road in front of him.  
  
After a while, Hermione stopped crying and dried her eyes. "It's not even a big deal," she whispered, almost as though she were trying to convince herself.  
  
"I can't even say anything to make you feel better," Harry said miserably.  
  
Hermione closed her eyes. "Then don't say anything at all."  
  
~*~  
  
10 years later.  
  
Hermione sat staring outside the window. The rain pattered relentlessly against the windowpane, drumming out a sad rhythm. It had been a day exactly like this that her life had turned upside-down. 'Exactly like this.'  
  
There was a heavy knocking on the door. Hermione wasn't expecting anyone with the exception of the mailman. She tied on a bathrobe over her pajamas and padded over. She unlocked the door and swung it open. It certainly wasn't the mailman.  
  
The man standing in front of her was dressed well, in well-fitting black robes and shiny black loafers, and black trousers with a white dress shirt underneath the robes. The only problem was that everything was soaking clear through.  
  
Hermione stared at the man for a moment. Then she remembered. "Draco."  
  
Draco's features softened as they used to do whenever he saw Hermione. "I've missed you."  
  
Her expression was a cross between bewilderment and incomprehension. "You came back," she said slowly.  
  
He smiled. "I said I would." Draco tenderly stroked her face. "Marry me, Hermione."  
  
She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. "Yes," she whispered.  
  
He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips, just like they used to. He pulled back and looked deep into here eyes. "I'm never going to leave you again."  
  
Hermione cupped his face in her hands. "Promise me."  
  
"I promise you."  
  
And she leapt into his arms, even though it was still raining outside and Draco was still on the front step. It was a beautiful thing.  
  
Epilogue:  
  
(5 years later.)  
  
Hermione and Draco were married a month after that, in a small chapel located in Wales. They honeymooned in Italy for a week, and then came back to England where they settled in a London flat. Hermione became the head of the Ministry of Magic's Department of Muggle Relations. Draco was a deputy Auror, granting him privileges such as vacations, and his schedule was more relaxed than the other Aurors. A year after their marriage, they were blessed with a beautiful baby girl, Ana Eloise Malfoy.  
  
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